Detachable union and tuning joint for musical instruments



July '5, 1960 B. L. VAN CASTER 2,943,526

DETACHABLE UNION AND TUNING JOINT FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS Filed March 3, 1958 FIG.3. j:-

INVEN TOR. BERNARD L. VAN CASTER ATTORNEY United States Patent DETACHABLE UNION AND TUNING JOINT FOR MUSICAL INSTR MENTS Bernard L. Van Caster, 219 Standish Drive SE., Washington 21, DC.

Filed Mar. 3, 1958, Ser. No. 718,542

Claims. (Cl. 84-386) This invention relates to wind musical instruments and more particularly to a detachable union and tuning joint for musical instruments of the saxophone type.

Heretofore the mouthpiece of a saxophone was forced over the corked surface of its terminal end each time the instrument was assembled or tuned. The mouthpiece was forced onto the corked surface longitudinally thereof and adjusted by furtherlongitudinal and rotatable movement. In addition to the fact that only one bore size mouthpiece could be used on the instrument once the cork was fixedly attached to its terminal end, the cork disintegrated rapidly due to the constant movement of the mouthpiece along its surface during assembly of the instrument and the periodic tuning adjustments. The replacement of the cork on the terminal end of the instrument usually involved tying up the instrument with a repairman for a given period of time with the resultant expense involved. Further, the fixed cork on the terminal end of the instrument necessitated the use of only one bore size mouthpiece.

In accordance with the invention claimed a new and improved detachable union for the tubular endof a wind musical instrument is provided comprising a cylindrical tube having unbroken outer and inner surfaces for surrounding the tubular end and means for clamping the tube to the tubular end. A cork sleeve is fixedly secured along its longitudinal length to at least a part of the outer surface of the tube adjacent its freeend. The sleeve has a diameter slightly smaller than the bore diameter of a mouthpiece used therewith.

It is, therefore, one object of the present invention to 'provide a new and improved detachable union for a tubular end of a reed instrument.

Another object of this invention is to provide a new and improved dual purpose detachable union and tuning joint for a saxophone.

A further object of this invention is to provide a new and improved adapter sleeve which makes it possible to apply a plurality of mouthpieces having different diameter bores to the terminal end of a saxophone.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a new and improved detachable union for a saxophone which makes it possible to omit the usual mouthpiece engaging cork from its terminal end.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a new and improved sanitary detachable union and tuning joint for saxophones which provides smooth outer and inner surfaces thereby eliminating moisture pockets or traps.

Objects and advantages other than those above set forth will be apparent from the following description when read in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. l is an exploded view of the terminal or tubular end of a saxophone and a detachable union and tuning joint for use therewith embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a saxophone terminal end to which the detachable union and tuning joint is applied;

Fig. 3 is an exploded view of the terminal end of a saxophone similar to the one illustrated in Fig. 1 but showing in more detail the clamping structure; and

Fig. 4 is a left end view of the detachable union and tuning joint as shown in Figs. 1 and 2..

Referring more particularly to the drawing by characters of reference, Fig. 1 illustrates an exploded view of the terminal end of a reed instrument and a detachable union and tuning joint therefor. This instrument may be a saxophone or any other reed instrument which utilizes a detachable mouthpiece which is forced over a corked surface on a terminal end thereof. These instruments are usually tuned by moving their mouthpieces longitudinally over and rotatably around the cork'surfaces of the instruments. In Fig. l the terminal end 10 of a saxophone is shown in position for receiving a detachable union and tuning joint or adapter 11. The adapter may comprise a hollow tubular tapered body member or sleeve 12 having unbroken outer and inner surfaces. A clamping means 13 is mounted exteriorly of sleeve 12 at its end having the largest diameter. The adapter at the clamping means end telescopically surrounds the terminal end of the saxophone neck as shown in Fig. 2. The clamping means as shown in all of the figures of the drawing comprises a pair of lugs 14 and 15 rigidly mounted on sleeve 12 upon opposite sides of a slit 16 formed in the end of sleeve 12. A thumb screw 17 extends through a drilled hole in lug 14 and into screw threaded relation with lug 15. The screw 17 has an annular shoulder 18 in engagement with lug 14 thereby functioning as a ligature for pinching the inner end of sleeve 12 against and about the saxophone neck 10 shown in the drawing.

Sleeve 12 of adapter 11 is provided with a cork sleeve 19 fixedly attached along its longitudinal length to its outer surface at its smallest diameter end. The cork may be glued to sleeve 12 inthe usual way and with sleeve 12 telescopically engages a mouthpiece 20 (shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2) of the saxophone in the usual Y- 1 In the application and operation of my invention the detachable union or adapter is slidably mounted upon the terminal or tubular end of a reed instrument such as a saxophone neck. In this position the tapered tubular bore of the adapter slidably surrounds the outer surface of the saxophone neck. The adapter is then tightened down to the saxophone neck by the clamping means to form an air tight joint. The cork end of the adapter is then fitted with the mouthpiece of the instrument.

In accordance with the invention claimed the terminal end 10 of the instrument is no longer provided with a cork sleeve glued thereto. The cork sleeve is now applied directly to the outer surface of the one piece adapter which adapter is readily detachable from the instrument and replaced with another. The adapter, as readily noted from the drawing, may be attached at a number of points along the saxophone neck to increase the range over which the instrument may be tuned in addition to the tuning control possible by moving the saxophone mouthpiece longitudinally along the cork surface. Further, by releasing the thumb screw the adapter as a whole may be rotated around the neck of the saxophone to position the mouthpiece used on the adapter at any one of a number of angular positions without causing any movement between the mouthpiece and the cork sleeve. This feature makes it possible to eliminate most of the wear and tear on the cork sleeve during tuning and adjustment of the instrument to the user.

With this new and improved adapter the instrument can be tuned and adjusted with little or no wear and can Patented July 1 5, 1960 I be used with a wide range of mouthpieces having different size bores. To use a mouthpiece having a given size bore one merely uses an adapter for the instrument which has a cork sleeve the diameter of which along its tapered surface is slightlysmaller than the diameter of the tapered bore of the mouthpiece. Thus, a user of the instrument merely uses an adapter to fit the mouthpiece of his choosing. 'Without the, use of an adapter of, this kind the instrument can be used only with mouthpieces having a given tapered bore; Further, whenever the cork on its terminal end was damaged the instrument was out of use during repairs.

.As readily noted, the disclosed adapter may be used on any saxophone by merely removing the cork from its terminal end. This adapters streamlined structure eliminates all pockets or traps which might collect and retain moisture from the mouth of the musician.

Although but one embodiment of the present invention has been illustrated and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention or from the scope of the appended claims.

It is claimed and desired to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A detachable union for the tubular end of a wind musical instrument comprising a cylindrical tube having unbroken outer and inner surfaces for slidably surrounding said tubular end, means for clamping said tube to said tubular end, and a cork sleeve fixedly secured along its longitudinal length to at least a part of said outer surface of said tube adjacent its free end, said sleeve having a diameter slightly smaller than the bore diameter of a mouthpiece used therewith.

2. A detachable union forthe tapered tubular end of a wind musical instrument comprising a cylindrical tube having unbroken outer and inner surfaces for slidably surrounding said tubular end, said tube being longitudinally slit at one end thereof, screw clamping means coacting with said slit to clamp said tube to said tubular end, a cork sleeve fixedly secured along its longitudinal length to :at least a part of said outer surface of said tube and terminating adjacent its other end, said sleeve having an outside diameter slightly smaller than the bore diameter of a mouthpiece used therewith.

.3. A detachable union, for the tapered tubular end of a wind musical instrument comprising a cylindrical tubev having an unbroken outer surface and a tapered borefor slidably surrounding said tubular end, means for clamping said tube to said tubular end at one of a plurality of points along said end, a tapered cork sleeve fixedly secured along its longitudinal length to at least a part of said outer surface of said tube adjacent its free end, said sleeve having a thickness calibrated to provide a snug fit with the bore diameterof a mouthpiece used therewith.

4. A union and tuning joint for the tapered tubular end of a wind musical instrument capable of being used with any one of a plurality of mouthpieces having difierent diameter bores comprising a cylindrical tube having an unbroken outer surface and a tapered bore for slidably surrounding said tubular end, said tube being longitudinally slit at one end thereof, screw clamping means coacting with said slit to clamp said tube to said tubular end at one of a plurality of points, a tapered cork sleeve fixedly secured along its longitudinal length to at least a part of said outer surface of said tube adjacent its free, end, said sleeve having a thickness calibrated to provide a snug fit with the bore diameter of the particular mouthpiece used therewith.

5,. A mouthpiece and tuning adapter for the tubular end of a wind musical instrument comprising a cylindrical tube having unbroken outer and inner surfaces for slidably and rotatably surrounding said tubular end, said tube being longitudinally slit at one end thereof, screw clamping means coacting with said slit for clamping said tube to. said tubular end at any one of a plurality of longitudinal and rotatable positions along said end, and a cork sleeve fixedly secured along its longitudinal length to at least a part of said outer surface of said tube adjacent its free end, said sleeve having a diameter slightly smaller than the bore. diameter of a mouthpiece used therewith, said adapter being slidably and rotatably mounted on said end for tuning and positioning a mouthpiece on said instrument, said sleeve. being provided with a predetermined cork thickness to snugly rfit the bore of a mouthpiece used therewith.

References. Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Comer Mar. 13, 1951 

